Bumpy ocean

[Irishrover]

Yesterday we had big plans to make a combined botton fish/salmon fishing trip. I had been watching the weather reports and Thrusday looked to be a good window. Well it was a window alright an open window that all the wind and rain came through. We ran up north out off the Long Beach Peninsula area to fish for chinook. There are some condos you can see on the beach and fishing that area in about 40 feet of water this time of year will usually produce fish. Herring either whole or plug cut, and even anchovies are the bait of choice. But Thursayday it was not to be. The wind picked up early instead of holding off until the afternoon. It made the water choppy with wind wave. The wind was out of the south and that made for a fast north drift which was a pain. We fished from 7am until 1pm then headed in pounding against the south wind. At least I was warm and dry inside a boat with a hard top cabin instead of being soaked in my old boat. Looking forward to the day when the winds slack off a wee bit.

 

[fishsauce]

Sorry to hear about those conditions. Yesterday's forecast looked so promising. I too would have gone if it weren't for this work thing.

 

[Irishrover]

I do appreciate being retired..........

 

[eugene1]

Hey Irish, what kind of seas are you looking for when you go out there? I see Sat/Sun will be a little mellower than today where you're at, but still a no go for my little boat.

I look for swell <3 ft, wind waves <1 foot. I am pretty limited in the windows with my current river boat for sure, but just wondering what you look for in your rig.

Best,

 

[Casting Call]

Hi Irish...! Here's what I did when I first went out in the ocean in my zodiac. I went to Pacifis City Dory assoc. and saked what gauges/web-sites do you use to launch from the beach. I asked this question of them because years ago when I was a young buck I heard something about wave timing,highth and wave strength. I was told that to launch from the beach certain numbers have to be in line. Timeing and highth can be good but if the wave power is not below a certain number you will fight all day to launch and may capsize or be killed. My last trip around the west side of rock netted a limit of crab. I tied into a large halibut in the deep water channel but lost it on light gear. Never expected that hook-up. Some of the dory clubs have web-sites to get the best times to go miles off the coast in fair wave condition. I know charter boats go out just inside fav condition. You just have to ride it out as a paying customer. I will post a web-site for power wave chart when I can find it in this old computer of mine. Tony

 

[Irishrover]

I like seas under 10 feet combined. 2 foot wind wave is ok but it will put a bump on the water. Swell hight doesn't bother me too much as long as the seconds between the swell is longer than they are high, 10 foot sea rule though still applies. It's the wind wave that screws everything up. If I go out and there is an 8' swell at 11 seconds I'm happy. If you put a 2' wind wave on it, I won't leave the dock. The other limiting thing for me here at the mouth of the Columbia River is the bar. Tomorrow the tide runing out is a minus 1.6' that means a lot of water is rushing out to meet the Pacific so the bar will be restricted. Crossing the bar at the right time up here is very important. I do miss the Yaquinia bar it was much more friendly. Getting a good long range forecast for ocean conditions is hard. I check a few sites and hope for the best. Any new site would be more than welcome.

 

[eugene1]

Thanks for that, IR!

I think that the bar crossing is a big worry to lots of folks going out. I know it was for me even at the smaller systems like the slaw, Windy bay, Newport. I usually just stayed inside unless it was glass out there, and then I stayed within a mile or two of the jaws unless I was following Mike Redding out.

One time I was outside of the Umpy bar and we were following a massive coho bite a few miles South. Before too long lots of the big boats were heading in to the barn at full steam. What the heck we said... A few minutes later a heavy fog rolled in and we barely made it into the jaws before the pea soup totally enveloped us.

Lots of stuff to be aware of on the ocean.

Thanks for bringing us along for some of it!

 

[Irishrover]

Oh man I know what you mean when you see a bunch of boats high tailing it to the barn. I was out of Newport one time and we see a lot of boats reel up and head in and in a hurry. I wonder whats up them I look out to the west and see the large black clouds and the lightning strikes. We followed those other boats in.

Today is a 10' rule day

"NW WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. NW SWELL 8 FT AT9 SECONDS."

So I put on the chest waders picked up the clam gun and hit Gearheart Beach for a limit of razor clams.

 

[bythesea]

Thursday & Saturday h-a-l-i-b-u-t....I'll be back,,,FISH-ON!!!